The Clippers’ offseason is only a few days old, but the clock is already ticking. They have until June 1 to decide if they want to pick up the team option on Vinny Del Negro’s contract, and how they decide could have a lasting impact on the direction of the team and its general manager, Neil Olshey, who is also currently without a deal for next year.

Pedro Moura of ESPN LA spoke with Olshey on Monday following the Clippers’ standard year-end exit interviews to discuss the immediate future:

“I think Vinny did a great job, and that’s as far as I’m going to go today,” Olshey added.

Del Negro refused to discuss his future when asked if he expected to be brought back for the 2012-2013 season.

“I’m not gonna get into all my contract stuff,” Del Negro said. “It’s a waste of energy and whatever I say, you’re not gonna listen anyway, so it doesn’t matter.”

Del Negro has spent two seasons as Clippers coach. Hired in July 2010, he’s compiled a regular-season record of 72-76 and a playoff record of 4-7. He spent the previous two years as coach of the Chicago Bulls and finished 81-81 there, getting bounced in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs both times.

Del Negro came under fire in March after the Clippers lost home games to Golden State and Phoenix, then went on the road and lost to Indiana, Oklahoma City and New Orleans.

He maintained at that time that he wouldn’t let any perceived threats to his job security affect the way he approached his job. He said similar things Monday, denying he’d be uncomfortable over the next 10 days by preparing for next season without the certainty he’ll be re-signed.

One could argue that the coaching situation has room for improvement as the team looks to take the next step towards a title with Chris Paul and Blake Griffin entering the last years of their respective contracts — although Griffin is almost certain to sign a long-term extension this summer and Paul has made comments suggesting he is in L.A. for the long haul.

If the organization (meaning Olshey and, most importantly, Donald Sterling) does decide to go another way, there figures to be plenty of interest in the position. Coincidentally, on the same day that neither Olshey nor Del Negro offered much clarity on the situation, a well-qualified candidate found himself out of a job in Orlando. And it so happens that said candidate, possessor of a sterling reputation for coaching defense, might be a perfect fit for the Clips:

For four straight seasons, the Magic ranked in the top five in defensive efficiency — including first in 2008-09 and second the following season.

Over the five season span that (Stan) Van Gundy coached the team, the Magic ranked second-best in the league in defensive efficiency, second in defensive field goal percentage and first in points in the paint allowed.

All because of Dwight Howard, you say? Consider that in Howard’s three seasons before Van Gundy became head coach, the team ranked 15th, 11th and seventh in those categories.

That could be a product of Howard simply coming into his own and developing into a dominant force as an NBA player. But though Howard reportedly wanted the coach out of town, Van Gundy leaves with several impressive items on his coaching resume.

He reached the playoffs in all five seasons with the Magic and racked up 31 playoff wins. That’s more playoff wins than the franchise had in its previous 18 seasons of existence.

Since Van Gundy took over, he led the Magic to a better regular-season record than all but three teams. The only franchsies who were better are the Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics and San Antonio Spurs.

He’s not likely to get mentioned in the same breath as Phil Jackson when discussing the greatest NBA coaches, but there is something big that Stan Van Gundy and Jackson have in common: neither coached a losing season.

Jackson coached 20 seasons and never had a losing record, while Van Gundy’s total was just eight seasons. Five with the Magic, three with the Heat. And yes, that includes the year with the Heat where Van Gundy was 11-10 before being replaced with Pat Riley.

But Elias tells us that Van Gundy is in rare company. Along with Jackson, the only others who coached at least eight seasons and never had a losing record are former Knicks coach Joe Lapchick and former 76ers coach Billy Cunningham. Both are in the Hall of Fame.

And Van Gundy’s .641 career winning percentage puts him in another elevated group: coaches with a winning percentage that high who have coached at least 500 games. Counting Van Gundy, that group is only six members and includes Jackson, Gregg Popovich and Red Auerbach.

From what I read, it will be decided by June 1st, when the Clippers have to decide if they will or will not offer an extension to VDN.

Don’t you consider Nate McMillan?*

*I’m taking all the retired coaches out of the equation, for practical matters

http://thesubversivebirds.com/ Renato S.

The way McMillan was able to manage and keep that team competitive really made a impression on me, even more when you take into account that he was able to do that even with so many injuries, including Roy and even Oden. I remember when they didn’t even have enough bodies to make a 8-man rotation, which is ridiculous and even so, there they were, in the Playoffs. Injuries didn’t let them past the 1st round but if not for those injuries, this was the OKC before OKC became OKC. The Blazers were the promising young talented team and Roy their star.

This is basically what Pop, Rivers and Thibodeau have done this season. Why? Because it shows how a SYSTEM can keep a team in the right track rather than just individual talent, so individual talent is a big plus in a well designed system. The Celtics were without Jeff Green for the get go, then they lost JO and Wilcox – which was playing pretty well at time. They had long stretches without Allen and Pietrus and late in the season, they had several games without at least one of the Big4 and they still manage to get on of the best records post-all-star break. The Bulls never got Hamilton and Rose to play together basically and Pop, well we saw it in this series.

http://www.clipperblog.com Charlie Widdoes

I would recommend forgetting about Nate McMillan. For whatever reason, he does not appear to be in the mix.

http://thesubversivebirds.com/ Renato S.

So it’s just SVG? Who else is on the mix?

http://www.clipperblog.com Charlie Widdoes

I’m not claiming to know the whole mix, I just gather that McMillan isn’t a part of it. As always, there are some hot assistants around the league that could be interesting, including Mike Budenholzer, who everyone familiar with the Spurs I talk to brings up. Former Laker and current Pacer assistant Brian Shaw and Warriors assistant Michael Malone are also frequently mentioned as head coaching candidates.

I can assure you guys that if the Clippers do, indeed, find themselves searching for a new coach, we will try to dig up any information we can possibly gather on potential candidates.

http://thesubversivebirds.com/ Renato S.

it would be interesting to make an article with possible names for the job, with pros and cons, what they can bring, what can be used as an argument in their favor, facts showing what they have done.

but don’t the Clips have some leverage to gather attention from some bigger guys? some coaches with some pedigree, some coaches that are already war proved, playoffs experience?

this can clearly be a contender next season, I assume that some well-known coaches would be interested, even more with CP3 and Blake.

http://thesubversivebirds.com/ Renato S.

Can’t we assume that until VDN is officially not part of the Clippers no coach will say anything about wanting to come to the Clippers? I mean, it would be totally anti-ethic to do behind his back, I don’t think any of those big coaches would do anything like that. So maybe we may hear about him after June 1st or are you saying that McMillan are not intending to come back coaching any NBA team next season?

Because Sloan said he is interested in the Bobcats and Magic, it basically means he is interested in any open vacancy, since those are the only ones available now. So I think that it’s safe to assume that he will be interested in the Clippers as soon as VDN is gone, which is good news.

I hesitate a little bit about Sloan questioning his age and how he will connect with the players, but it would certainly be a luxury to be able to have that kind of doubt rather than the certainty of frustration if VDN stays.

SVG problems were basically two big men divas, I don’t think that neither CP3 or Blake are like that.

So first we need to wait June 1st, hopefully before that.

Clips4

You’re right now, Renato. The Clippers have leverage over who can become the next coach because the job is enticing now. Before CP3 and Blake, nobody wanted to coach the Clippers. Now, it’s a hot job prospect discounting the fact that the boss is DTS.

http://thesubversivebirds.com/ Renato S.

I think that as long as Olshey stays, people will think more like they are working for him rather than just Sterling, for the job Olshey has done, right now it’s pretty much known that he is skilled. I say that because before the CP3 trade, I was watching some interviews he had done for LACTV, etc. and I could tell that he knew exactly what kind of pieces the team was needing, how to build some chemistry. And now we pretty much know how capable he is so I think that counts as a positive, more than it counts as a negative from Sterling.

*We should gather some guys and make a G+ Hangout to discuss all of this since we can’t really participate in the ClipperBlog one.

Clips4

I’m down for that!

http://thesubversivebirds.com/ Renato S.

who else? the person needs to be able to discuss and bring interesting points – a rare commodity nowadays… hahaha…

I think that although we didn’t really agree, that Ian guy could join us.

add me there then, I’m one of the few that added the ClipperBlog Live profile.

Clipped

Make Billups retire as player & then hire him as a coach. And ask Billups to accept SAM CASSELL as Assistant Coach.

Problem solved.

Patrick

Yes!

Lasko

Bring Brown, they do not need to pay moving expenses. He did a good job with our competition.

http://www.TheLobCity.com Bryant

Clearly you’re a laker fan trying to pawn off your C+ level coach on us…no thank you. You can take your business elsewhere. LOL

http://thesubversivebirds.com/ Renato S.

Brown a C+ level? He is a good defensive coach and he at least make adjustment. Lakers lost miserably that first game against OKC, but since then the games could have gone either way, the Lakers stepped up their D and they played well, the Lakers Bigs didn’t play as they should, from that on, Kobe felt like he needed to shoot to death, but when Kobe shoots too much, the Lakers usually lose.

He wouldn’t be my first option and I’m not such a fan of him but he is a good coach, do you really think that the Lakers would hire a less of a coach? Do you think that Kobe would accept a less of a coach?

Well, at least say with some X’s and O’s how he is such a bad coach. Because unless you can analyse him properly, your opinion is basically irrelevant, without proper arguments it’s just an opinion.

http://www.TheLobCity.com Bryant

I didn’t say VDN was better than a C+..in my opinion a head coach has to be balanced…it irks me when it’s the 4th quarter of a big game and mike brown hands the white board over to this assistant to draw up a play…

http://thesubversivebirds.com/ Renato S.

VDN? I didn’t even mention him in my comment.

Clipped

I think VDN did a decent job. But he should explain reasons for following actions which caused considerable damage to this team.

MR.VDN—

1. Why did you try to oppress and ignore ERiC BLEDSOE during the regular season?

2. How come you did not find even 5 min.per game playing time for Trey Thomkins?

4. Why did you over use Billups inspite of his age? We needed him as a ‘closer’ of each game. You could have used Bledsoe to fill his shoes; instead you sent him to NBDL.

5. DeAndre Jordan lost his productivity under your coaching. Is it because you wanted to make a statement to Neil Olshey?

These were few crucial mistakes. Can you please explain the rationale behind your actions?. Then go and smooth talk Donald Sterling.

http://thesubversivebirds.com/ Renato S.

Yeah, VDN has to go and hopefully, he will, but nonetheless you don’t seem very bright either. You are just beating a dead animal with unreasonable questions. It’s too easy to just throw things at him now, gimme a break, at least come up with something that make sense.

1. Bledsoe was coming off surgery and he took some time to get it going, he wasn’t not playing like this right off the bat. When he got it going he became part of the rotation. A better coach would have used him a bit more, but he wasn’t ignored. VDN new he was a big part of the team, Bledsoe was the reason the CP3 trade was rejected several times.

2. Trompkins played in the beginning of the season and it was nice to see him hitting some 3s, but his defense was not near the level of Martin and Evans, so there you go.

3. Easy said than done. Clippers were trying to ensure home court, which didn’t work, but you can’t just change that because you know they didn’t get and say you should have rested them. Don’t think that the rest could have prevented their injuries.

4. He didn’t over use him at all, he played 30min/game and for short sprints or are you trying to say that he should have predicted the future and then Billups wouldn’t be injured?

5. DJ didn’t lost productivity, he simply is not polished enough, the D, which should have been his main thing was never there. Of course, VDN lack of skills didn’t help him develop better, but a good part of that is on DJ as well, he didn’t help himself either.

Clipped

Explanation accepted.

Age+Balanced Playing Time = forthcoming injuries can be avoidedl. Here prediction skills not required.

Ask Vinny to run up & down 12 times withinh 3 minutes. Then he’ll know why using his players wisely matters for a successful season.

Patrick

To add on to your comment Bledsoe was injured the whole time billups played so billups didn’t take any time from Bledsoe.

Lasko

My agreement with Clipped, I also understand that it was a short season but he should have developed Thomkins. DJ was another case. Lack of days off to work with him, lack of maturity . I do not think DJ got paid to be a cheerleader.

Isaac

I would love to have SVG for our team.. He’s perfect.. He wouldn’t be afraid to yell at Griffin for not hustling back on D.. Or DJ for missing rotations.. I think he can instill the defensive basics in our young bigs heads that will take us to the next level.

The question though.. Is will our stars respond? CP3 is good friends with Howard, and I doubt he’ll have many nice things to say about SVG. There was also that poll of NBA players who the most disliked coach is, and SVG won by a good margin.

I don’t see Chris Paul clashing with SVG though. Howard acts like a child, Chris Paul by all accounts is an amazing person on and off the floor. Blake Griffin on the other hand? I could see him and SVG having some problems. Griffin might not act like a child off the court, but he has the habit of doing it on the court.

All in all, I think Paul and Griffin would know, that although SVG has a big personality, he’s the most realistic coach that could take this team to the next level.. Want to play deeper into the playoffs next year?? Here’s your first step.

Patrick

Griffen to me actually seems pretty mature, I can’t see him having problems like Howard.

http://www.leucadialaw.com Deeez Nutz

Am I the only one who thinks it’s Jerry Sloan and then everyone else in the coaching derby? That guy’s results in Utah put him head and shoulders above the rest of the coaching field, IMHO.

That said, I would be shocked if anyone of the caliber of Jerry Sloan (or Phil Jackson, for that matter) wanted anything to do with Donald T. Sterling. This is an organization that is still trying to prove its legitimacy and it operated this year with a lame duck coach and a GM who (1) didn’t have a contract, and (2) should have won Executive of the Year. The Donald is a leopard whose spots ain’t changing until there’s flowers above his wood box. I know, I know, hopefully soon.

http://www.clipperblog.com Charlie Widdoes

Just out of curiosity, what makes you say Sloan is more qualified than Stan Van Gundy?

Alex Ross

As soon as the CP3 went through, Sloan was the first coach that came to mind in my eyes. Sloan is the only coach that has dealt with an incredible point guard and freakishly athletic power forward who was very unpolished when coming into the league. He developed those two into the arguably the best PG/PF combo ever, and the only reason they never won a championship is because they ran into the the greatest player ever in Jordan… TWICE. He turned Malone into a Top 5 PF of all time, by teaching how to shoot the ball and develop his amazing 18 foot jumper. Not that CP3 needs to learn how to develop his game, but more refine to fit within a proven and successful system, which Sloan proved for nearly 30 years. Of the realistic options, SVG is still my personal top pick, but I don’t see why Olshey doesn’t at least try to talk to Sloan, and see what interest there would be.

http://desperatemoments.wordpress.com phatdawg

Another thing to note is that by having SVG as our coach, we effectively shut the door for Dwight Howard to ever come on board.

Remember back when Heat was trying to assemble their big 3, Howard actually expressed interest in teaming up with Paul?

Bongstradamus

Sloan makes you play the right way…or your don’t play.

Are we the kind of organization that will enable a coach like Utah did Sloan? Don’t know. But I always appreciated that despite the stars, the Jazz were known league-wide as being Jerry Sloan’s team. There was no higher authority. There was no questioning his orders, his game planning, or his rotations. The guys would check their ego and play team basketball, because thats the only way they saw the floor. If they didn’t, they got traded. There was no BS with Sloan.

http://www.leucadialaw.com Deeez Nutz

Charlie – on the SVG vs. Sloan issue, there’s something about SVG that I have trouble taking seriously. I see his numbers are fantastic but at the same time it seems like he’s been on the firing line for years. Why is that?

Sloan to me almost feels like a college coach who worked in the NBA – a guy who is so good and whose system is so good that he can take any collection of players and win 50-60 games. I think he gets the most out of every player on his roster and I think, as both Alex Ross and Bongstradamus allude to, he commands respect.

Bonstradamus does a really nice job encapsulating the fundamental difference between Sloan and SVG.

http://thesubversivebirds.com/ Renato S.

Sloan already said he won’t come back so I would not count on him.

MG

Actually, he just said today that he wants to come back and would be interested in the Magic or Bobcats. He basically said if someone calls, he’ll listen.

griffin

Same thing phil jackson said too. There just looking for rings or a fresh start. All I know is if heat loses the playoffs phil will go ring chasing there

http://thesubversivebirds.com/ Renato S.

If Sloan doesn’t feel like he is too old for all this, he will be perfect. I like his NO BS style.

mike lipert

I think having svg will help Blake and dj out a lot. Howard turned into a beast under svg

http://www.espn.com Tim

If Stan Van Gundy can install a defensive package where Deandre can impact the game, then SVG is our guy. Next, lets go sign Jesus Shuttlesworth!

http://www.espn.com Tim

Is Chris Paul too instinctive for a coach like Sloan? Paul dribbles a lot. I’m not sure Sloan would have much patience for that. Deron Williams really wore Sloan thin with the hero ball approach, no?

Clips4

CP3 dribbled a lot this year because the offense broke down too many times because of VDN’s lack of a system to get guys open.

http://www.espn.com Tim

Let me put it a different way, is Paul more like Deron Williams, or John Stockton when you think of players who are more or less willing to conform to a system?

http://www.leucadialaw.com Deeez Nutz

Paul’s a winner. If he could win a title by playing the 5 and getting dirty in the post he’d do it. I really don’t get the sense that Paul is a coach killer. He has more integrity than that and he’s smarter than that.

Clipped

PREDICTION FOR 2012-13 SEASON:

Clippers will trade CP3 to Miami for LEBRON JAMES. And Caron Butler to Detrot for Tayshaun Prince. Mo Williams, Thompkis and Ryan Gomes will go somewhere for few other appropriate pieces.

Here’s our tentative list for next season.

STARTING 5:

Griffin
DeAndre
LeBron
Bledsoe
T.Prince

Bench(incomplete)
\
Reggie
Martin
Foye
Billups

5 Valuable spots open. To be filled on later stage with utmost caution.

Chris

Not sure if you were joking or not, but I definitely LOL’d for a while after reading that.

Ron

Jazz passed up on CP in 05. I’m sure sloan had a say in them choosing DWill over him. What will make him want to coach him now?

Chris

Seriously? Chris Paul is the top PG in the world, I doubt Jerry Sloan would have a problem coaching him.

Cult of Lawler

Nate McMillan and the Blazers passed on Durant to pick Oden in 07. Do you think he would want to coach Durant now?

http://crimelaw crimelaw

Sadly, I think Mr. Sterling will never pay what would be necessary to get a first rate coach-especially after the Dunleavy debacle.He just doesn’t understand that it’s pointless to pay millions of dollars to get the best players & then hire a third rate coach to manage his high price talent just to save a buck. In addition,I would doubt a first rate coach would agree to work for an owner who has attempted to stiff every coach who has worked for him. Let’s hope I’m wrong,because this team could be on the verge of being a real contender for the championship.

http://www.leucadialaw.com Deeez Nutz

Them’s the facts. If you were Sloan or Phil and you signed a 3- or 4-year deal, wouldn’t you insist that ALL of the money be paid up front? I’m dead serious. Sterling’s a dirtbag with a really nice roster. He can hire an up-and-coming coach who can make his rep with this team and Sterling can strong-arm the guy into taking a below market contract. That’s the most likely scenario, right?

http://clipperblog Al

Great post! You shed light on the fact that there is a great coaching candidate on the market and it would be wise for the Clippers to strongly consider making a change if the want to advance further !!!

SVG has a personality problem. He’s a whiner, and as mentioned above, players don’t want to be coached by a guy like that. You can talk all you want about stats and defensive records, but in the end, I see that Orlando team as a major failure considering the players they have had and where they were just a few short years ago. Sure, the front office has some culpability in that (Smith is gone, too), but no, I don’t want SVG here. Say what you want about Sloan, but he’s a guy that the players would respect – you can’t say the same about SVG.

Olshey needs to let VDN go and call Sloan IMMEDIATELY. He’s the perfect fit for this team. He has a great system, experience coaching elite PG/PF combo and NBA Finals experience.

Eric Rosenthal

VDN has got to go. I would get into every reason but the one that might seal his fate is that the fans want him gone. Do we really need another season of fans screaming for the lame duck coach to fired?

NihilistZerO

I don’t see why everyone thinks sterling won’t pay a coach like Sloan. It’s all about return on investment and he knows he has a once in a lifetime opportunity to make the Clippers relevant for the next ten years, which in turn allows him to rape a desperate FOX sports in the next TV contract.

They lost the Lakers and could lose the Dodgers. Donald is a shrewd business man and paying a coach a few extra millions when it could mean a BILLION in TV revenue is the smart play.

http://www.espn.com Tim

The one concern I have about Sloan is, he quit on his team in mid-season, inexcuseable. What if Sloan and Paul don’t see eye to eye? Is he going to quit then too? Sloan is already a proven quitter. There’s no room for that in Clipper Nation, we don’t quit!

MG

The guy coached the Utah Jazz for 26 straight years…longer than any active NBA coach has coached anywhere.

If he quits on the Clips after 26 years I think we’ll be ok.

http://www.espn.com Tim

You’d think after 26 years, he could at least finish the season, is all I’m saying.

Bongstradamus

He quit because Jr. listened to Deron Williams instead of holding the line like his father did. Same thing happened in Utah that happened with the Lakers, the patriarchs gave the business to the children, who promptly screwed everything up thinking they knew how to run a franchise better.

http://www.espn.com Tim

Quitting is still the lowest thing you can do, maybe after the season, but during the season? There is always a reason to quit. Sloan lost creditability. He quit on his team, and he’s going to look Caron in the eye and say what?

Clips4

I can’t blame the guy. Having coached a diva like D-Will and Boozer for so many years wears on the guy. Plus he’s really old. Phil Jackson took a year off in between coaching jobs with the Bulls and Lakers. He also took the 2005 season off as a sabbatical and has taken this year off. Sloan coached 26 years straight and never had any time off to recharge. He’s tired of players these days and I agree that the players these days are all about the name on the back of the jersey and not the one on the front.

http://www.espn.com Tim

Just because he coached Utah for 26 years does not make it ok for him to quit. Quitters never win.

MG

Yeah I understand. But what I’m saying is that after 26 straight years, I think a little burnout is understandable. The guy was pushed to his wit’s end and needed a break.

Clipped

WARNING!!!!!!

CP3 cannot take a team to beyond 2nd round. There was another elite PG who came from Hornets. His name is BARON DAVIS. CP3’s bodytype resembles that of BDavis.
There’s a limit how far their bodies can travel in NBA.

There’s talent. And there’s something called physical fitness. LeBron proved he has both. That’s why LeBron is worth every penny he earns.

We are still paying the wrong price for signing BARoN DAVIS for a 5-year deal.
And his name is: Mo Williams.

Patrick

Someone is really making a good effort to become the most hated resident of clipperblog. A few more posts like these and you’ll be in the discussion with demote.

griffin

I assumed that was demote name when he isn’t talking about dj

http://www.espn.com Tim

Roy Hibbert and Greg Monroe turned out pretty good. Why not Coach John Thompson Jr? Or how about Dr. Tom Izzo or Coach K? Anyone think a college coach is ready to make the jump? Calipari? There’s gotta be a college coach who knows x’s and o’s out there, who can teach fundamentals, and develop talent. Even Howland, no?

Bongstradamus

Id rather go euro and get Zeljko Obradovic who has won more Euroleagues than any college coach in the US has won the NCAA.

I can’t think of one coach who came up from college and has had success in the NBA. Coach K has done great with Team USA, but that’s a whole different ball game. Its basically teaching an All-Star game how to be awesome for 8 games.

http://www.espn.com Tim

The NCAA is getting ready to close in on Kentucky, and Calipari is going to need an out here real soon. Maybe the Clips should keep Bledsoe, and see if Calipari is ready for another run at the next level?

Clips4

Larry Brown is a coach who came up through college and is the only coach in NBA history to win both an NCAA title and an NBA title.

Clips4

I’m not calling Larry Brown’s card to be the next Clippers coach.

Bongstradamus

Next town Brown is moving back down. Nobody in the NBA wants to hire him.

DeMote DeAndre

Stan Van Gundy is a terrible choice for coach, probably the single worst choice of any of the possible choices out there, even including a couple of dozen assistant coaches who nobody has ever heard of. Actually, he’s even tworse than that.

He’s such an absolutely horrible choice to coach the Clippers that it’s not all that surprising all the Olshey puppets here are pushing the foolish notion of hiring him.

The glaringly obvious reason that Stan Van Gundy is the absolute worst of all possible choices to be the Clipper’s coach is simple.

Naturally the Olshey puppets,who are trying to trick the fans into thinking DeAndre DeGiant Desaster should be the Clippers center for years to come, would like HOward to avoid the Clippers like they are the plague.

Bongstradamus

You’ve clearly crossed the line from being generally stupid to completely retarded.

DeMote DeAndre

Chris Sheridan has an article out today saying Howard wants out fo Orlando now more than ever, becauase of teh way tehy forced his hand by demanding he sign an extension or they’d trade him to the Lakers.

His article also again says the Clippers are one of the teams Howard would consider signing with, along with the Nets, Knicks and Mavericks.

That is the main priority of the Clippers, and if tey don’t pull it off, it’s a huge blunder.

That’s why Sterling can’t pick up Olshey’s option. Olshy is clueless and inept, and he can’t be allowed to bungle this rare moment in time for the Clippers.

Get HOqward and the Clippers will be the main team in the NBA for years to come. Keep Jordan at center and the Clippers will not be any better than they were this year.

Simple as that.

DeMote DeAndre

To get Howard, the Clippers of course will need more than DeAndre Jordan, but Jordan is the stawrting point of the deal. He is a 7 foot center who can jump and run and doesn’t get injured. That’s a plus for a team that needs any center at all.

The second key ingredient to the deal is taking back the hideous contract of Hidayet Turkoglu, which is 2 more years at $12 million a year. Whos cares? It gets them Dwight Howard and a decade fulll of rings.

The Clippers then include Mo Williams and Caron Butler and maybe even Eric Bledsoe.

Meohmy

stan wears on a team. Im not a fan.

The real question should be, who is going to be Blake’s shooting voach this summer? David Thorpe seems to want to work with him.

Meohmy

meant “shooting coach”

http://clipperblog Al

Jerry Sloan! Model what you did with Stockton and Malone to CP3 and BG!!! I could only hope.

http://thesubversivebirds.com/ Renato S.

oh Pacers, what are you doing? sloppy plays, no heart, no hustle, not taking advantage of their size… WTF…

Clips4

Granger’s hurt. Nobody has the length to check Lebron.

http://thesubversivebirds.com/ Renato S.

no, it was before he got hurt. they screwed a 3 on 1 fast break! there was no intensity, they weren’t using Hibbert and his size advantage! when Granger and West went down things just got worse, but they were simply not playing, not fighting even before that.

Kiwi

I think I would pass on Jerry Sloan, he had a great system for years (26), yet never won a championship and only went to the finals twice. If the Clippers want a coach that can get them into the playoffs, then sure get him. But they already accomplished that. I think his price would be too high for a coach who hasn’t done much in the playoffs, taking into account how long he coached in the same system.

http://thesubversivebirds.com/ Renato S.

If somebody wants to have fun and easily troll some Lakers fans just go to ESPN.

Right now they are basically PANICKING, playing several trade scenarios, discussing who should they trade, Gasol, Bynum, talking about Bynum’s lack of work ethic, Gasol’s softness. Some are saying that Brown should be fired and basically all of them still CRYING over CP3 trade, like that would be a miracle salvation, as if it works like that, if losing Gasol and Odom and adding CP3 would necessarily means another ring. Kobe would have to give up the ball more, things would be different and I don’t know how Kobe would handle that. He never likes someone taking his spotlight, I mean, he is a competitor, that’s what he is, but competing within your own team is not really helpful sometimes.

But I’m quite surprised that they could not get over the CP3 fiasco, no wonder they go to every Clippers article and put some hating comments over the Clips and Blake.

http://clipperblog Al

How many years did Jerry Sloan’s teams make the playoffs ? If it was not for two of the best players of all time Jordan and Magic I’m sure the Stockton and Malone teams would have had a few rings. Most important thing on a Sloan coached team would be accountably. I doubt he would care who you are, he would ream you out whether your CP3 or a Travis Leslie!

http://clipperblog Al

accountability

Bongstradamus

every year one

Bongstradamus

But one

Vin

The Clips need an experienced coach with a winning record, but NOT Stan Van Gundy. He will only grate on the players nerves and drive CP3 away.

Don’t laugh, but Mark Jackson did it. Kenny Smith has mentioned that he’d like to take a run at coaching, why not? He talks smack, but seems to know what he’s talking about, and I’d have to imagine he’d bring in a great staff, and address some of the deficiencies this team has. Doesn’t he actually live in LA? Ok, I know, no experience, just like Mark Jackson, and Vinny for that matter. Since we’ve been throwing names out there for the last few days, I figured what about the Jet, is all.

joeluis323

Nah man! No to ‘The Jet’. The Clippers experimenting days are over! We got a good nucleus and seems that good players/coaches want to play for this team. There’s some good coaches outhere with lots of experience that (on paper) can take us to the promised land. Lets focus on them.

Bongstradamus

Kenny Smith can be an assistant if he brings Hakeem Olajuwon as the big man coach.

Imagine Blake pulling off a Dream Shake!

http://clipperblog Al

Dear Donald,

You built a state of the art practice facility. We know that you invested in that area of basketball operations and I’m sure the players and staff appreciate that. You have a great young team that could potentially win a few titles down the road. Please think about investing $$ in a top notch coach and GM!!!! It will be greatly appreciated by the players and fans!!!

Tim

Look at the Clippers. Really we’re a mess. Lame duck coach, GM not under contract, have the team not under contract. The nice thing is, we have a couple of stars, and some moveable assets, so we can reshape the roster. Still, right now, what a mess. The dominoes need to start falling. I can’t wait until June 1st.

Old Skool Clip Fan

The thing about Sloan: I can’t see him and Sterling sitting in the same room for 10 minutes without immediately hating each other. Sloan would hate Sterling for being a smarmy, no-ethics snake. And Sterling would hate Sloan for being uppity and morally rigid. You can’t have two more different types of people. If the interview ever happened, I would love to be a fly on that wall.

Clips4

Sloan is looking at the Bobcats and Magic positions. I hope DTS can try to make a run at him. First he needs to extend Olshey and then pursue Sloan and if we don’t get him, Nate McMillan and if not Nate, see if we can pry JVG out of the announcers booth and have SVG replace him. Mike Breen ad SVG on the telecast would be a great replacement.

Patrick

I think he would say the clippers as well but its kinda not classy to say I want to be the coach of a team that already has a coach. No one is publicly saying they want to coach the clippers yet because until june 1st vinny is still the coach. I bet he is kinda waiting to see what the clippers do before deciding on coaching any team. Hes an older guy though who already had to deal with a problem player in D.Will and probably doesnt want to waste 2-3 years getting charlotte to the league standard. He seems interested in coaching again and I think his preferred destination is right here in LA.